Folding table leg pivotal mounting and latch device



Aug. Z8, M956 E. GREACEN FOLDING TABLE LEG PIVOTAL MOUNTING AND LATCH DEVICE Filed NovA 18, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet i INVENTOR Edmund Greaden.

. Maag ATTORNEY Aug; 28, 1956 E. GREAcx-:N

FOLDING TABLE LEG PIVDTAL MOUNTING AND LATCH DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed New 18, 1954 INVENTOR Lvdmund GreadelL BU/Lfdw ATTORNEY United States Patent FLDING TABLE LEG PIV OTAL AND LATCH DEVICE Edmund Greacen, White Plains, N. Y., assigner to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporationof New `lersey Application November 18, 1954, Serial No. 469,604

3 Claims. (Cl. 311-99) The present invention relates to folding tables and more particularly to so-called card tables primarily intended for household use.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a folding card table in which the four legs are independently pivotally mounted for movement between collapsed and extended positions; to provide a device for releasably and securely locking each table leg in an extended position in which the leg slopes outwardly and downwardly with respect to each of the two adjacent sides of the table; thus to present a pleasing appearance and also to add to the sturdiness of the table; and to provide such a construction which is rugged and relatively simple and economical in manufacture and especially easy to operate.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the folding table in open or extended position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan View of the same with three of its legs in closed or collapsed positions and its fourth leg shown in extended position in full lines and in collapsed position in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of a corner of the table top and the leg mounting devices secured thereto, the line of section being indicated by lines 3-3 of Figures 2 and 4, and the table leg there shown being in extended position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the same taken on lines 4 4 of Figures 1, 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of parts thereof taken on line 5 5 of Figures 3 and 4; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Figure 3 and showing the table leg in partially collapsed position in dotted lines and in fully collapsed position in full lines. v

Referring now in detail to these drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the folding table there shown generally comprises a frame or rim having four straight sections of molding 10 connected by corner pieces 11 and desirably welded together at their bottom corners as at 12. As best illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 6, the molding sections 10 have vertical portions 13, downwardly inwardly sloping portions 14 terminating in upwardly curled portions 15, and portions 16 extending inwardly from the upper edges of the vertical portions 13 and thence downwardly to form retaining lianges 17 for the table top 18.

Brackets 19 are secured in the corners formed by the meeting adjacent molding sections 10, these brackets each having a at body 20 mounted horizontally beneath a corner of the table top 18 and in support thereof, and depending attaching flanges 21, 22 secured as by means of spot-welding to the vertical portions 13 of the molding sections 1l). Other depending flanges 23, 24 add rigidity to the brackets 19.

The brackets 19 have portions struck downwardly from the iiat body thereof to form spaced depending side walls 2S, 26. The legs of the table are formed of downwardly r, ICC

tapering metal tubing sections 27 each having an extension 28 fitted into its upper end and comprising the upper end portion of the leg which is formed to inwardly opening U-shaped cross-section with the inner side iianges 28, 30 thereof pivotally connected to the side walls 25, 26 respectively of bracket 19 by means of a pintle 31. The axis of the pintle 31 slopes inwardly-downwardly from one of the adjacent sides of the table top as best seen in Figure 4, so that the leg when extended slopes outwardlydownwardly with respect tothat side of the table top, at a predetermined angle. The outer bight portion 32 of the cross-sectionally U-shaped upper end of each leg is adapted to abut the brackets ilat body 20 to limit movement of the leg to its extreme extended position, and the upper end edge of the legis sloped so that in the extreme extended position of the leg it slopes downwardly-ontwardly with respect to the other adjacent side of the table top at approximately the same predetermined angle as best seen in Figure 3. Thus the extended table presents a pleasing and symmetrical appearance notwithstanding the fact that the legs are so set that each in succession folds along a different sideedge of the table when the latter is collapsed.

The upper end of each 4leg is provided also with a pair of oppositely laterally extending lingers 33, 34 below the pivotal connections of the leg to the bracket 19. A latch member 35 has side arms 36, 37 which are secured to the brackets depending sidewalls 25, 26 inwardly of said side walls pivotal connections to the table leg, by means of a pintle 38. The inner and lower edges of the latchs side arms 36 and 37 are provided with cam surfaces 33 and with intersecting latching surfaces 39. During the unfolding movement of the table leg the cam surfaces 3S are engaged by the table legs fingers 33, 34 thus displacing the latch member 35 to its position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, and thereafter the fingers 33, 34 engage behind the latching surfaces 39 on the side arms 36 and 37 to securely lock the leg in its extreme extended position. A spring 40 circumscribing one end of the pintle 38 has one end in engagement with the ange 23 of bracket 19 and has its other end in engagement with an outer edge of the latchs side arm 36, whereby the latch is normally urged toward its locking position.

When it is desired to collapse the table, each latch member 35 in succession is manually pressed from its full line position to its dotted line position indicated in Figure 3, thus freeing the fingers 33, 34 from their engagement behind the latching surfaces 39 of the latchs side arms 36, 37 and thus permitting the table legs to be folded in succession so that the table is collapsed for storage.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a folding table which is neat in appearance, simple but sturdy in construction and easily operated, and while but one specic embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous details may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. ln a folding table, a device for pivotally mounting a table leg for movement between collapsed and extended positions and for releasably locking said leg in extended position comprising: a bracket having a flat body mounted horizontally beneath a corner of the table top and having spaced side walls depending from said body, the upper end of the table leg being formed to inwardly opening U-shaped vcross-section with the inner side flanges thereof pivotally connected to the brackets side walls respectively and with the outer bight portion thereof adapted to abut the brackets flat body to limit movement of the leg to its extreme extended position, and said leg hav-- ing laterally extending fingers at its opposite sides below its pivotal connections to the brackets side Walls; and a latch member having side arms pivotally mounted on the brackets depending side walls inwardly of the pivotal connections between said side walls and the upper end of the table leg, said side arms having cam surfaces which are engaged by said fingers during unfolding movement of the leg thus to displace the latch member and having also latching surfaces behind which said ngers engage to lock said leg in its extreme extended position with the bight portion of the legs upper end abutting the at body of the bracket.

2. A device according to claim 1 characterized by having spring means normally urging the latch member toward its locking position.

3. A device according to claim 1 characterized by having the axis of the table legs pivotal mounting on thc bracket sloping inwardly-downwardly from one of the adjacent Sides of the table top so that the leg when extended slopes outwardly-downwardly with respect to said side at a predetermined angle, and further characterized by having the upper end edge of the table leg sloped so as to abut the brackets flat body and limit the legs movement to an extended position in which it slopes outwardly-downwardly with respect to the other adjacent side of the table top at approximately the same predeterrnined angle.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,071,296 Carlson Aug. 26, 1913 1,784,507 Walker Dec. 9, 193() 1,978,827 Vinding Oct. 30, 1934 2,076,620 Corduan et al. Apr. 13, 1937 2,425,162 Overbey Aug. 5, 1947 2,574,592 Schaffer Nov. 13, 1951 2,653,066 Anderson Sept. 22, 1953 

